Kobe rumors

\
That rumor caught fire all day and eventually spread to ESPN, where Marc Stein said he’s been told that Washington’s interest “is definitely genuine.”\

SEE RELATED:

\
So we’ll do one better. How about a trip to Washington DC and a conversation with Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld on the matter? Just to stay in the spirit of things with our sources, we’ll call Grunfeld “The Epicenter.” Seems to be a good enough way to refer to the man who would be on the phone and at the table trying to make this happen here, right?\

\
Well, according to The Epicenter — a man who hardly ever comments on trade rumors — reached late last night, “this is all total fabrication. We’ve had no conversations with the Lakers or anyone else about trading Gilbert. Normally I don’t comment on personnel moves, you’re right. But this is total fabrication.”\

\
Still, that general manager that the Trib referred to as being on the periphery of the talks didn’t back off.\